This invention relates to support frames and more particularly, to frames for supporting medico-surgical tubes for nasal or oral use.
Ventilation and anaesthetic gases can be administered to a patient via a tube that extends into the trachea via the patient's nose or mouth. With young children especially, whose skin is susceptible to damage by relatively light pressure, it is necessary to support the tracheal tube and the weight of connectors and tubing joined with the tracheal tube where it emerges from the patient's nose or mouth. The usual way of providing this support is by a frame of bent wire, such as of the kind described by Reid and Tunstall in Anaesthesia Vol. 21 No. 1, January 1966 pages 72 to 79. This previous frame comprises a generally T-shape loop of metal wire, the base portion of which passes through a metal connector that serves to make connection between the tracheal tube and the oxygen/anaesthetic tubing. The two ends of the wire forming the loop are joined together at the enlarged head portion of the loop which is secured to the forehead of the child such as by a bandage. The frame is suitably bent to ensure that the connector is raised above the child's face and that the weight of the associated tubing is supported.
These previous frames suffer from various disadvantages. Because the frame is integral with a metal connector, the combined weight of the frame and connector is relatively high. The cost of manufacturing a metal frame and connector is relatively large which necessitates re-using and sterilizing the equipment, whereas medical practitioners generally prefer disposable equipment. The area of the frame exerting pressure on the child's forehead is small leading to a localized distribution of pressure and possible discomfort. Furthermore, different size frames have to be used according to the size of the patient, and whether they support a nasal or oral tube. This thereby requires larger stocks to be held by the hospital.